Vae Solis Communications
Vae Solis Communications is an independent French strategic communications and reputation advisory firm serving listed corporates, executives, investment funds, public institutions and political figures on sensitive M&A, IPO, crisis, judicial and public affairs mandates.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Vae Solis Communications does
Vae Solis Communications is an independent French strategic communications and reputation advisory firm founded in 2002 by Arnaud Dupui-Castérès and headquartered in Paris at 16 avenue Kléber, with a European office in Brussels branded "Vae Solis Europe." The firm is organized around three engagement pillars — Position, Engage, and Protect — delivered through 11 service modules covering strategy and opinion research, executive coaching, content and brand, public affairs (France/Europe), media relations, financial communication, digital communication, crisis and judicial communication, risk prevention and simulations, and 24/7 on-call emergency response. Its core proprietary asset is the Equity Story© methodology used in financial-communications mandates (M&A, IPO, LBO, fundraising, strategic alliances). The firm is the first French SME certified "anti-corruption" by ETHIC Intelligence and is GDPR-compliant with an appointed DPO.
The firm serves approximately 50 multidisciplinary consultants and targets listed corporates (CAC 40 / SBF 120 and large-cap French and international groups), investment funds and financial sponsors, public-sector institutions, senior executives, and political figures. Named clients include Nature Energy, Tessi, Jeantet, OECD, Sopra Steria, Bpifrance and Edenred. The senior team is unusually multidisciplinary for a firm of this size, drawing on former ministers, journalists from Le Point, Europe 1 and France Info, ex-bankers from BNP Paribas and JP Morgan, lawyers, and senior in-house communications leaders from Accor, Vivendi, Canal+, L'Oréal and Publicis.
The business model is a senior partner-led bespoke advisory model: engagements are project-based or retainer, sold directly by partners to executive decision-makers, and priced by quote based on scope and sensitivity. Distribution is fully direct — through the Paris HQ, the Brussels European office, and a partner network covering the UK (Project Associates), Poland (Partner of Promotion) and Spain (PROA Comunicación) — with no resellers or self-serve channels. Marketing is reputation-led, anchored by an annual "365" thought-leadership magazine (published continuously since 2020), earned media in top-tier French business press, broadcast appearances by senior partners, and partnerships with think tanks including the Aspen Institute and Club 21e Siècle.
Vae Solis Communications firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vae Solis Communications
- Legal name
- Vae Solis Communications (SAS au capital de 52 109 €, RCS Paris 443 805 197)
- Website
- https://vae-solis.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Vae Solis Communications is an independent French strategic communications and reputation advisory firm serving listed corporates, executives, investment funds, public institutions and political figures on sensitive M&A, IPO, crisis, judicial and public affairs mandates.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vae Solis Communications industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Strategic Communications Consulting
- NAICS
- Public Relations Agencies (541820), Public Relations Agencies (54182), Management Consulting Services (54161), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)
- akta.pro primary industry
- PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management (BPAFAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Crisis Communications & Issues Management (MPAAADAF), Litigation PR & Legal Communications (MPAAAOAH), Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)
Keywords
Where Vae Solis Communications is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Vae Solis Communications business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Strategic communications consulting mandates: Project-based and retainer engagements delivering strategic positioning, media relations, public affairs (France/Europe), content/brand strategy, financial communications, digital communication and crisis management for listed corporates, investment funds, public institutions, executives and political figures. Engagements are bespoke, typically multi-month or long-cycle, and billed as professional services.
- Crisis & judicial communications retainers: Retainer and on-call fee structure for risk prevention, crisis simulations (including cyber simulations), stakeholder management, litigation support and 24/7 emergency response. Sold as ongoing managed advisory with optional surge support via urgent hotline.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Vae Solis Communications product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vae Solis Communications is an independent strategic communications and reputation capital consulting firm that advises executive leaders, listed corporate groups, investment funds, public institutions and political figures on developing and protecting their reputation. The firm delivers bespoke mandates across strategic positioning, media relations, public affairs (France and Europe), financial communication (including M&A, IPO, LBO, fundraising and restructuring), digital communication, crisis and judicial communication, and 24/7 emergency response. Services are organized in three pillars — Positioning, Engage, and Protect — and delivered by a multidisciplinary team of approximately 50 consultants.
Product overview
Vae Solis Communications operates as a single integrated strategic communications and reputation consulting practice, organized under three engagement pillars - Positioning, Engage, and Protect - rather than as a software platform. The firm's offering is composed of interconnected service modules: Analysis & Opinion and Accompanying the Leaders and Content & Brand together form the Positioning pillar; Public Affairs, Media Relations, Financial Communication (featuring the proprietary Equity Story© methodology), Reflection Speakers, and Digital Communication form the Engage pillar; and Crisis Communication and Judicial Communication, Risk Prevention and Simulations, and On-Call and Emergency Response form the Protect pillar. These modules are delivered by a multidisciplinary team of approximately fifty consultants and are complemented by the firm's annual 365 NewsMagazine editorial publication.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Strategic Positioning & Analysis Strategic intelligence and diagnostic service offering strategic watches, local and national studies, audits, and strategic benchmarks to underpin a client's positioning.
- Accompanying the Leaders (Executive Advisory) Personal advisory service for executives covering identification of expression areas, coaching, media training, public speaking training, thought leadership, writing (speeches, forums), and personal image strategy.
- Public Affairs (France & Europe) Public affairs service covering legislative and political watch, stakeholder mapping, argument and policy notes, coalition strategy, and activation of influence circles across France and Europe.
- Media Relations Media strategy and planning service covering meeting plans, press office operations, media monitoring and analysis, and E-PR.
- Financial Communication (Equity Story©) Corporate and financial communications service featuring the proprietary Equity Story© methodology, M&A / IPO / LBO / fundraising / strategic alliance communications, restructuring and turnaround communication, and investor relations.
- Crisis Communication and Judicial Communication Crisis and litigation communication service covering litigation support, special situations (governance crises, hostile operations), stakeholder management, crisis press office, and monitoring.
- Risk Prevention and Simulations Risk preparedness service covering risk mapping, crisis management process design, crisis simulation, cyber simulation, and training.
- On-Call and Emergency Response (24/7 Crisis Hotline) 24/7 crisis hotline service for active crisis situations, providing immediate on-call advisory and emergency response.
- Digital Communication & E-Protection Digital presence service covering presence strategy, consulting and digital content, influencer monitoring and activation, community management, and e-protection / digital reputation.
- Content & Brand Strategy Brand and content strategy service covering editorial platforms, brand content, raison d'être, manifestos, brand platforms, graphic identity and logo design, and website development.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trained ~50 employees in generative AI within the firm to scale consulting productivity
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Vae Solis Communications
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Vae Solis Communications technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature4 records
Vae Solis Communications partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Vae Solis Communications competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Brunswick Group: Global strategic advisory specializing in financial communications, M&A, IPO and crisis support for listed corporates — the closest international analogue to Vae Solis' Equity Story©-anchored financial-communications practice, with a strong Paris office.
- FTI Consulting (Strategic Communications): FTI's Strategic Communications segment delivers M&A, restructuring, crisis and public-affairs advisory to corporates and investment funds, directly comparable to Vae Solis' "Engage" and "Protect" pillars in the French and European market.
- Kekst CNC: Independent strategic communications advisor focused on M&A, shareholder activism, crisis and IPO communications for European listed groups and investment funds, overlapping closely with Vae Solis' financial-communications and crisis mandates.
- Image 7: Paris-based independent public affairs and strategic communications firm serving corporates, institutions and associations in France — a direct French competitor for public affairs, press relations and crisis mandates.
- Taddeo (Havas): Paris-based strategic communications and influence advisory (now linked to Havas) serving corporates and public-sector clients — competes head-to-head with Vae Solis on public affairs, crisis and corporate positioning mandates in France.
- APCO Worldwide: Global strategic communications and public affairs advisory with a strong Paris office — competes with Vae Solis on CEO advisory, public affairs, crisis and cross-border stakeholder engagement for European listed groups.
Broad incumbents
- Edelman (France): Global communications marketing firm with a large Paris office across corporate, public affairs, crisis and financial communications — broader portfolio and scale than Vae Solis, but overlapping on strategic positioning, M&A and crisis mandates.
- Havas Paris: One of France's largest integrated communications groups, combining advertising, PR, public affairs (via Havas Paris / Havas Worldwide) and crisis — overlaps with Vae Solis on corporate, public affairs and crisis work as part of a much wider offering.
- Publicis Consultants: Strategic communications and public affairs arm of Publicis, historically competing in France for financial communications, public affairs and crisis mandates, and a former employer of Vae Solis partner Charlotte Bourgeois-Cleary.
Emerging players
- Saper Vedere Communications: Independent French strategic communications and public affairs boutique — smaller and more narrowly focused than Vae Solis, but competing for similar corporate, public-affairs and executive-positioning mandates in the Paris market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Vae Solis Communications social profiles
Digital presenceVae Solis Communications compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Vae Solis Communications financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vae Solis Communications leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Vae Solis Communications subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Vae Solis Communications funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vae Solis Communications M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vae Solis Communications
What does Vae Solis Communications do?
Vae Solis Communications is an independent strategic communications and reputation capital consulting firm that advises executive leaders, listed corporate groups, investment funds, public institutions and political figures on developing and protecting their reputation. The firm delivers bespoke mandates across strategic positioning, media relations, public affairs (France and Europe), financial communication (including M&A, IPO, LBO, fundraising and restructuring), digital communication, crisis and judicial communication, and 24/7 emergency response. Services are organized in three pillars — Positioning, Engage, and Protect — and delivered by a multidisciplinary team of approximately 50 consultants.
Is Vae Solis Communications a public or private company?
Vae Solis Communications is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Vae Solis Communications founded?
Vae Solis Communications was founded in 2002. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Vae Solis Communications based?
Vae Solis Communications is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Vae Solis Communications make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Strategic communications consulting mandates are the primary driver. The others are crisis & judicial communications retainers.
Who are Vae Solis Communications's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Brunswick Group, FTI Consulting (Strategic Communications), Kekst CNC, Image 7, Taddeo (Havas) and APCO Worldwide. Broad incumbents are Edelman (France), Havas Paris and Publicis Consultants. Saper Vedere Communications is listed as an emerging player.
Does Vae Solis Communications have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vae Solis Communications.
What industry is Vae Solis Communications in?
Vae Solis Communications's product category is Strategic Communications Consulting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAFAAAL, PR, Corporate Communications & Crisis Management, with a secondary code of MPAAADAF, Crisis Communications & Issues Management. Its NAICS code is 541820 and its SIC code is 7311.